Combination rail-clamp and machine-tool.



l0.1.GOULTER- COMBINATION RAILOLAMP ANDMAOHINB Toor..

AIEPLIOATION IILED MAY Z5, 1909.

990,11 5, l Patented Apr. 1s, 1911.

3 BHBETB-SHEBT l.

C. J. COULTER.

GOMBINATIONRAIL CLAMP AND MACHINE TOOL.

APPLIUATION I'VILED MAY 25, 1909. y

' Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

990, lll 5.

a SHEETS-SHEET z.

y, 1 Ul /M ,/6/ a f \9-. w Lf Y "J I .3 Mr 7 01 f/ I l d. M, W 4 4 C. J.COULTER. COMBINATION RAIL CLAMP AND MACHINE TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1909.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

CHARLES J'. COULTER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

COMBINATION RAIL-CLAMP AND MACHINE-TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

Application led May 25, 1909. Serial No. 498,298.

To all t0/0m t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES J. COULTER,citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denverand State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Combination Rail- Clamps and Machine-Tools; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and ligures of refer'- enee marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in what I term a combination railclamp and machine tool.

This machine is particularly adapted for use in connection with thedrilling of holes in the webs of railway rails and applying the ishplates thereto in the forming of the joints between the rails.

My present invention discloses a construct-ion similar to that set forthin my previous application, Serial Number 407 861, liled December 23rd,1907, in which special attention was given to the mechanism foroperating the tool as a drill or wrench.

In my present invention the claims will be directed more particularly tothe clamping construction, or the improvements for clamping the railwhile drilling the web thereof and applying the nuts to the bolts forsecuring fish plates to the web in forming the joint, though in orderthat the function and purpose of the clamping mechanism may be clearlyunderstood, the entire con struction, including the tool operatingmechanism, is illustrated.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed todescribe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine,shown connected in operative relation with a railway rail, the latterbeing shown in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken onthe line 2--2 Fig. 1, looking downwardly. Fig. 3 is a verticalsectiontaken on the line 3 3 Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of thearrow. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line t-t Fig. 1, looking towardthe left, or in the direction of the arrow adjacent said line. Fig. 5 isa section taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 2, the upper part of theconstruction being broken away. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, themachine, however, in Fig. 6 being equipped for use as a wrench, while inFig. 5 it is equipped for use as a drill. Fig. 7 is an end view of thespindle holding sleeve.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the upright frame of the tool operatingmechanism, the same being composed of two parallel uprig'ht members 6and 7, suitably connected as shown at 8 and 9, whereby they are properlyspaced and their parallelism maintained. The lower extremities of thesemembers 6 and 7 are provided with circulaiparts 10 and 12, formingbearings for a rotatable sleeve 13, upon which is mounted and made fasta sprocket wheel 111. A chain 15 connects the wheel 14 with a similarwheel 16 mounted on a spindle 17, centrally journaled in the two members6 and 7; also mounted upon the spindle 17 is a relatively large sprocketwheelV 18, which is connected by a chain 19 with a relatively smallsprocket 20 fast on a shaft 21, to which is applied a hand-crank 22.

Mounted within the sleeve, whose opening is polygonal, preferably squarein cross-section, is a tool holding spindle 23, or 24, as the case maybe. The spindle 23 is adapted to hold a bit 25, for drilling metal;while the spindle 211 applied to the nut 27 of the bolt 28 is employedfor securing the fish plates 29 to the web of the rail 30. The sleeve isadapted to hold either' tool in operative relation, the two spindlesbeing readily interchangeable by swinging the frame 5 outwardly from therail in a manner hereinafter explained.

Coperating with the spindle rotating mechanism heretofore brieflyoutlined, is a rail clamp, the frame work of which is designated 31, thesame being composed of two members 32 and 33, whose upper extremitiesare connected by a pin 34, the member 32 lower extremities are caused toclamp the tread of the rail on opposite sides. The two parts 32 and 33are further connected by a bolt 40, whose head 41 is trunnioned, orpivotally connected, with the frame member 33, by means of a bolt 42passing through ears 43, with which the part 33 is provided, the saidears having openings registering with the opening formed through thehead of the bolt, at right angles to the stem of the latter. To thethreaded extremity of the bolt whichpasses loosely through an openingformed in the member 32, is a nut 44, which as shown on the drawings isof the winged or butterfly variety, vfor convenience of handmanipulation. By virtue of this connection the small bolt 42 forms afulcrum for the frame member 33, whereby, as the lever 38 is operated tospread the parts 32 and 33 above the fulcrum, the portion of the part 33below the fulcrum is caused to clamp the rail.

r1`he two members 32 and 33 below the bolt 40 are equipped with aws 45and 46. rllhe jaws 45 have parts 47 projecting laterally in oppositedirections from the bolt 40,` being provided with inwardly projectinglugs 48, adapted to rest ontop of the tread of the rail. Extending belowthe top of the rail, this jaw has a part 49 adapted to engage thevertical face of the tread of the rail on one side. Below the part 49 isa part 50, centrally recessed as shown at 51, to make room for the head52 of the bolt 28, when the ma chine is used a wrench. The jaw 46 isprovided with parts 53, which project laterally in opposite directionsfrom the part 33, and have a shoulder 54 engaging the top face of thetread of the rail. Below this shoulder is a downwardly extending part55, which engages the vertical face of the tread of the rail on the sideopposite the part 49. The lower extremity of the jaw 46 is provided withapertured lugs 56, adapted to receive the hooked extremities 57 of theyoke arms 58 connected by transverse members 59 and 60.

The auxiliary feed screw 61 is threaded in a central opening formed inthe part 59, and the inner extremity of the screw 61 is journaled in a Ushaped member 62, whose arms 63 are pivotally connected with lugs 64formed on the cross-head 65, whose extremities are recessedto engage theyoke arms 58 upon which the cross-head is mounted to slide freely.Threaded in this cross-head is a feed screw 66, formed integral with anabutment 67, upon which is formed' a ratchet wheel 68. This abutment 67is adapted to engage one extremity of the spindle 23 or 24, as the casemay be,depen,ding on whether the machine is used for drilling or as awrench for operating nuts upon the fish plate bolts. The auxiliary feedscrew 61 is used for taking up the thrust of the cross-head and feedscrew, or for quickly shifting the cross-head and the abutment feedscrew, in order to bring the abutment into operative engagement with theapertured extremity of the operating spindle, after which the spindle isfed longitudinally through the sleeve, by the automatic operation of apawl 69, pivotally mounted as shown at 70, upon a keeper 71, verticallyslidable upon the member 6 of the frame 5.

The sleeve 13 is provided with cams 72,

which as the sleeve 13 is rotated are alternately caused to engage anarm 73 rigidly connected with the slidable keeper 71. As the sleeve isrotated these cams act upon the keeper 71 and cause the latter toreciprocate upon the frame member 6, the upward movement beingaccomplished through the medium of the cams 72 and the arms 73, whilethe downward movement is accomplished by gravity. As the pawl 69 iscarried upwardly it acts upon the ratchet 68, to give the same a partialrotation, whereby the feed screw 66 is given a corresponding movement,thus advancing the abutment 67 together with the spindle 23 or 24 as thecase may be.

Attention is called to the fact that when the machine is used for awrench, the yoke together with the cross-head and feed screw mechanismmay be removed and the spindle operated suiiiciently for applying theremoving nuts, without the necessity for the feed, accomplished by thefeed screw 66.

1n order to detach the yoke having the arms 58, and carrying thecross-head 65, it is only necessary to lift the yoke arms sufficientlyto disengage their hooked extremities 57 from the apertured lugs 56 ofone of the rail clamp members.

The sliding keeper 71 is connected with the frame member 6 by a bolt 74,which passes through a vertical slot 7 5 formed in the frame member 6,to allow the keeper to slide freely upon the said member.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improvementwill be readily understood. In order that the operating spindle 23 or 24may be placed in position within the sleeve 13, the frame 5 is swungoutwardly, away from the rail clamping mechanism, after which thespindle for either wrench or drilling purposes may be applied. The frame5 is then returned to its normal position and the yoke arms 58 connectedwith the apertured lugs 56 of the rail clamping frame. The space betweenthe abutment 67 and the outer end of the spindle is then quickly takenup by the use of the auxiliary feed screw 61. The handcrank 22 may thenbe turned, whereby rotary movement is imparted to the sleeve- 13 andconsequently to the spindle 23, or 24. Assuming that the spindle 23 andthe drill bit 25 are employed, the ratchet 68 will be operated by virtueof the action of the cams 72 upon the arm 73 of the slidable keeper 71,whereby the latter is caused to reciprocate or rise and fallalternately, thus o erating the feed screw 66 and causing the a utment67 to press upon the extremity of the spindle, whereby the drill bit Q5is caused to keep pace with its cutting action, its operating extremitybeino held constantly in contact with the meta to be drilled, until theperforation in the web of the rail is formed and adapted to receive thefastening bolt 28. After the desired number of holes are drilled in thewebs of the two rails, which are to be connected by the fish plates 29,bolts may be passed through said openings together with registeredopenings formed in the fish plates. The screw bolts are then applied andnuts started upon their threaded extremities. The spindle 23 may then beremoved from the sleeve 13 and the wrench spindle 24 be put in place,after which the rotary action of the sleeve 13 is continued until thenut is fastened. After this occurs, the auxiliary feed screw 61 is movedto withdraw the abutment 67 sufficient to permit the backward movementof the spindle within the sleeve, preparatory to the use of the wrenchfor tightening another nut.

It may be stated that the lower part of the jaw 46 or the portionthereof that engages the vertical face of the tread of the rail, isbifurcated to straddle the operating tool, whether in the form of adrilling bit or a socket wrench.

The extremities of the cross bar 59, 'in which the auxiliary feed screwis threaded, engage bearing recesses 80 formed near the outerextremities of the yoke arms 58, the said recesses being open at the topto permit the cross bar to be quickly disengaged from the yoke arms bylifting upwardly on the outer extremity of the auxiliary feed screw.This construction. makes it possible to quickly withdraw the cross bar,when it is desired to move the mechanism from the rail. It is oftenimportant that this operation should be quickly accomplished, as forinstance,

when a train is rapidly approaching. It makes it possible to withdrawthe cross head much more quickly than could be done by the slowoperation of turning the auxiliary screw within its threads in the cross.bar 5U.

The extremities of the bar 59 are preferably formed rectangular in crosssection, as best illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The recesses which receive the extremities of the cross bar arcdesignated 80, while the extremities of the bar which engage saidrecesses are designated 81.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a machine tool, of a rail clamp pivotallyconnected in operative relation with the tool at one extremity, anddetachably connected with the tool at the other extremity, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination with an operating tool, of a rail clamp ivotallyconnected in operative relation wlth the tool at one extremity anddetachably connected with the tool at the other extremity, the said railclamp having two lever-like members pivotally connected intermediatetheir extremities and jaws arranged below their pivotal point to engagethe tread of the rail, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an operating tool, of a rail clamp composed oftwo members connected in operative relation intermediate theirextremities and having opposing jaws below said connection arranged toengage the tread of the rail, one of the said members being pivotallyconnected at one extremity with the operating tool and detachablyconnected therewith at its opposite extremity, whereby the tool is heldin operative relation with the rail, substantially as described. Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. COULTER. Witnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, A. EER'r OBRIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

